Fearless Eating No Such Thing as Bad Food

By Kristi Bracewell, Founder/ Owner of Totasola, Wellness Consulting

Have you ever craved a particular food? For example, “I really want a steak tonight”. Where does this come from? Is it possible that your body has an innate wisdom to naturally know what it wants? If you agree, do you trust your body enough to allow yourself to eat what it naturally desires? For many, this is a scary concept for fear that you will dive into foods that you would call “bad”. After all, these are the foods you seem to want the most of, right? Have you considered that the very reason you indulge in “bad” foods, and eat often past the point of full, has to do with deprivation and eating patterns often characterized by restriction? If you follow a diet (a restrictive way of eating that can typically limit what you really enjoy), you frequently find yourself desiring those foods you are not allowed to have on this diet. Then, after days of resisting and exercising extreme discipline so as to not eat those “bad” foods, you break down and over-indulge only to leave you feeling guilty and regretful of your choices. You repent for this mistake and vow never to eat that bad food again. You commit all over again to the restrictive cycle and go so far as to not having that food in your home for fear you may lose some control if you are around it. It’s funny when you think about it – food can have this much control over you; sitting up on a pedestal looking down and saying I am more powerful than you are.

When did food, which was designed solely for the purpose of nourishing and fueling our bodies, have such power over us? Food is not inherently bad – sure, there are some foods that have a higher nutritional value than others, but food itself is not bad. We shouldn’t feel guilty for eating a “bad” food like chocolate cake or french fries, for example. Regretful about these choices, maybe, but you didn’t do anything wrong by eating these foods, so why the guilt? We have distanced ourselves so far from a healthy perspective of how we view food. It’s either in the “good” column or the “bad” column, therefore leaving us feeling guilty or good depending on which choice we select. How many times do you hear someone (or maybe yourself) say, “I was good today, I ate clean foods.”  Or, “I was so bad this weekend; I ate nothing but junk”.

I have a cousin who eats clean six days a week and then has one cheat day where he allows himself to eat whatever he wants. In other words, he follows a restrictive eating pattern for six days followed by eating for enjoyment on the seventh day. Does this pattern work for him in terms of helping him manage his weight?  Sure, as long as he sticks to the rigid food choices on day 1 through 6. For some, this approach (aka dieting) may work for a fixed period time, but over a lifetime, it is not realistic to think one can maintain following the rigid rules of only eating certain foods. Our bodies were meant to enjoy food. Using an approach with moderation and variety, we should be able to experience all foods if we are truly trusting our bodies to know when to eat, what to eat, and most importantly how much to eat.

Do you have a certain food that you refuse to bring into your home out of fear that you will eat all of it in one sitting (aka as a food binge)? These are the foods that once you open the bag or start to slice off a piece, one serving turns into two or three or greater until you either feel so stuffed you are uncomfortable? What is it about that food that has so much dominion over you that you do not allow it in your home? The fear isn’t in the food itself but rather in your behavior associated with this trigger food. Becoming a more mindful eater, one who is aware of why they are eating in the first place, will help reduce the chances of using this food as a coping mechanism.

I was introduced to the concept of fearless eating and have not looked back. Foods that were once no-no’s in my home now have been re-invited because I view all foods equally. The key is to believing that your body does have the wisdom to know what it wants, when it wants, and how much to eat to the point of satisfaction. When I work with clients on mindful eating techniques, I notice that many have lost what it feels like to be hungry. They also struggle with when to stop eating when they have reached the point of feeling satisfied. In fact, many admit to going past very full on the fullness scale before they push back from the table. Feeling just satisfied at the end of a meal is foreign to them. Learning and developing the skills to know when to eat and what to eat is a process  it takes time and attention, but the results are very freeing and long-lasting weight management begins.

As an Am I Hungry?® licensed facilitator, I am learning to help people reset their minds and develop new skills to learn how to cope with emotional triggers and overeating. In addition, I encourage my participants to begin to view physical activity as something they can enjoy again rather than seeing it as penance for poor eating or food choices. Mindful eating takes time and effort, but when it is done, we become more in tune with our feelings of satisfaction when our bodies tell us we are full, and therefore reducing the chances of overeating and ultimately unwanted weight gain.

For more information
please contact:

Totasola, LLC
Kristi Bracewell,
Founder/ Owner

www.totasola.com
941.586.4327
kristi@totasola.com